Eleven percent of Medicare enrollees delayed receiving care in 2017 because of worries of cost, and 11 percent said they struggle paying medical bills, according to a JAMA Health Forum study released Dec. 10.
Sixteen percent of the respondents said they've encountered one of these issues or both.
The study analyzed the 2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, which included 10,974 adults at least 65 years old and 2,197 adults between 18 and 64 years old. The analysis was conducted from Nov. 1, 2019, to Oct. 15, 2021.
Lower incomes, poor health and having a long-term disability were all related to an inability to afford care, according to the study.
"The findings of this study suggest that unaffordability of medical care is common among Medicare enrollees, especially those with lower incomes, or worse health, or who qualify for Medicare based on disability," the study said. "Policy reforms, such as caps on patient spending, are needed to reduce medical cost burdens on the most vulnerable enrollees."